Oh well, I guess I have to start spending some time with my other hobbies. Four and half months until Midnight Madness. Here is a great picture of Tyreke Evans to keep you company.
Monday, May 19, 2008
And Now That Recruiting Is Over, the Long Hot Summer Begins Until Midnight Madness
Oh well, I guess I have to start spending some time with my other hobbies. Four and half months until Midnight Madness. Here is a great picture of Tyreke Evans to keep you company.
Roster of C-USA Players Headed to China With Cal
China roster
Posted by Dan Wolken
Here’s the roster that will go to China representing Memphis and Conference USA, as of Monday:
Memphis
G - Antonio Anderson
G - Willie Kemp
G - Doneal Mack
G - Jeff Robinson
F - Robert Dozier
F - Shawn Taggart
F - Pierre Niles
Tulsa
G - Ben Uzoh
C - Jerome Jordan
Southern Miss
G - Jeremy Wise
F - Andre Stephens
UTEP
G - Julyan Stone
C - Claude Britten
Sunday, May 18, 2008
CA's Geoff Caulkins - Johnson is joining in chase for Big East
Johnson is joining in chase for Big East
By Geoff Calkins
Sunday, May 18, 2008
There was Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson, working away in Destin, Fla., attending Conference USA's spring meetings, when his phone started to ring and ring and ring.
Everyone wanted to know about a local television report that Memphis officials are in "serious talks" to join the Big East.
Not true, Johnson said.
"I have had no meetings with the Big East," he said.
So that was that. End of story, right?
Except Johnson was almost certainly fudging when he gave that quote. And, let me just say for the record, I couldn't be prouder of the guy.
***
R.C. Johnson has done some truly impressive things during his 12-year tenure with the school.
He's upgraded the facilities. He's revolutionized fund-raising. He's made some incredibly smart, ambitious hires.
In many decades, that would have been enough to solidify Johnson's legacy as a first-class athletics director.
Not this decade, though.
Now the single most important job of an athletics director is to make certain his or her school is in the right conference. At that critical task, Johnson has failed.
Louisville, Cincinnati and South Florida all have left Conference USA for the Big East since Johnson arrived in Memphis. Memphis sent out some really snappy pamphlets, but, stunningly, the Big East was not impressed.
"It was totally a geographic issue," Johnson said in the wake of the decision, and it's likely he was right.
But it didn't feel like Memphis had done everything possible to be included in the Big East, or had even made a particularly forceful case for itself.
I wrote that the Memphis leadership had blown it on this one. Influential boosters felt the same way.
It was maddening, really. Why was Johnson being so stubborn and/or shortsighted?
Asked to name the most important challenge facing Memphis in the coming years, Johnson said, simply, "finances."
Didn't he understand that getting into a BCS conference would change the athletic department's financial outlook instantly? Or did he think the task was just too hard?
"I don't want to raise false hopes," said Johnson.
If in doubt, aim low?
As recently as last August, the university held a press conference to announce a $3 million gift by FedEx to build a new baseball stadium.
I used the occasion to ask FedEx CFO Alan Graf about the Big East.
"I have told both Shirley (Raines) and R.C. -- who needs to lead this effort -- that FedEx thinks we should do something more formal," said Graf.
That column irritated Johnson to no end. He objected to both the timing and the tone.
But here we are, nine months later, and it couldn't be more clear that Johnson has come around.
That's the significance of the Fox 13 report. It's further affirmation that Johnson is taking a very different approach to Big East membership this time.
No, Memphis and the Big East are not in "serious talks." Serious talks take place when both sides have agreed on a certain course and are working on the terms of a deal. Nothing like that is happening between Memphis and the Big East.
The Big East has too many basketball schools (16), for one thing. It isn't about to add one more.
But is it possible that the eight all-sports schools might ultimately decide to split off from the basketball-only schools? Sure. They'd then have to add at least one school (to set up an eight-game football schedule) and as many as four (to set up a Big East championship game).
That kind of split could open a spot for Memphis. If and when it happens, Johnson is making certain the university is prepared.
Which brings us back to Johnson's denial this past week, and to his quote, and to how he almost certainly fudged.
"I have had no meetings with the Big East," said Johnson, and that's probably true.
But what's a "meeting" anyway? Do telephone calls count? How about discussions at a cocktail party?
Let's say that FedEx officials -- and this is purely hypothetical -- chatted up Big East officials at the Final Four. That wouldn't be a meeting, would it?
This much is true: Big East officials are keenly aware that Memphis wants to be a part of the league's future. They also know what Memphis is prepared to do to join the conference and how FedEx could help.
Does that mean Memphis has been in "serious talks" with the Big East?
No.
Lobbying the Big East?
Certainly.
Discussing possibilities with the Big East?
Oh, call it what you will.
I call it evidence that Johnson is doing everything he can to get Memphis into a conference that is worthy of the program. What more can anyone ask?
To reach Geoff Calkins, call him at 529-2364 or e-mail calkins@commercialappeal .com. You can hear his radio show, "The Geoff & Gary Show," from 7 to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday on ESPN 730.
By Geoff Calkins
Sunday, May 18, 2008
There was Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson, working away in Destin, Fla., attending Conference USA's spring meetings, when his phone started to ring and ring and ring.
Everyone wanted to know about a local television report that Memphis officials are in "serious talks" to join the Big East.
Not true, Johnson said.
"I have had no meetings with the Big East," he said.
So that was that. End of story, right?
Except Johnson was almost certainly fudging when he gave that quote. And, let me just say for the record, I couldn't be prouder of the guy.
***
R.C. Johnson has done some truly impressive things during his 12-year tenure with the school.
He's upgraded the facilities. He's revolutionized fund-raising. He's made some incredibly smart, ambitious hires.
In many decades, that would have been enough to solidify Johnson's legacy as a first-class athletics director.
Not this decade, though.
Now the single most important job of an athletics director is to make certain his or her school is in the right conference. At that critical task, Johnson has failed.
Louisville, Cincinnati and South Florida all have left Conference USA for the Big East since Johnson arrived in Memphis. Memphis sent out some really snappy pamphlets, but, stunningly, the Big East was not impressed.
"It was totally a geographic issue," Johnson said in the wake of the decision, and it's likely he was right.
But it didn't feel like Memphis had done everything possible to be included in the Big East, or had even made a particularly forceful case for itself.
I wrote that the Memphis leadership had blown it on this one. Influential boosters felt the same way.
It was maddening, really. Why was Johnson being so stubborn and/or shortsighted?
Asked to name the most important challenge facing Memphis in the coming years, Johnson said, simply, "finances."
Didn't he understand that getting into a BCS conference would change the athletic department's financial outlook instantly? Or did he think the task was just too hard?
"I don't want to raise false hopes," said Johnson.
If in doubt, aim low?
As recently as last August, the university held a press conference to announce a $3 million gift by FedEx to build a new baseball stadium.
I used the occasion to ask FedEx CFO Alan Graf about the Big East.
"I have told both Shirley (Raines) and R.C. -- who needs to lead this effort -- that FedEx thinks we should do something more formal," said Graf.
That column irritated Johnson to no end. He objected to both the timing and the tone.
But here we are, nine months later, and it couldn't be more clear that Johnson has come around.
That's the significance of the Fox 13 report. It's further affirmation that Johnson is taking a very different approach to Big East membership this time.
No, Memphis and the Big East are not in "serious talks." Serious talks take place when both sides have agreed on a certain course and are working on the terms of a deal. Nothing like that is happening between Memphis and the Big East.
The Big East has too many basketball schools (16), for one thing. It isn't about to add one more.
But is it possible that the eight all-sports schools might ultimately decide to split off from the basketball-only schools? Sure. They'd then have to add at least one school (to set up an eight-game football schedule) and as many as four (to set up a Big East championship game).
That kind of split could open a spot for Memphis. If and when it happens, Johnson is making certain the university is prepared.
Which brings us back to Johnson's denial this past week, and to his quote, and to how he almost certainly fudged.
"I have had no meetings with the Big East," said Johnson, and that's probably true.
But what's a "meeting" anyway? Do telephone calls count? How about discussions at a cocktail party?
Let's say that FedEx officials -- and this is purely hypothetical -- chatted up Big East officials at the Final Four. That wouldn't be a meeting, would it?
This much is true: Big East officials are keenly aware that Memphis wants to be a part of the league's future. They also know what Memphis is prepared to do to join the conference and how FedEx could help.
Does that mean Memphis has been in "serious talks" with the Big East?
No.
Lobbying the Big East?
Certainly.
Discussing possibilities with the Big East?
Oh, call it what you will.
I call it evidence that Johnson is doing everything he can to get Memphis into a conference that is worthy of the program. What more can anyone ask?
To reach Geoff Calkins, call him at 529-2364 or e-mail calkins@commercialappeal .com. You can hear his radio show, "The Geoff & Gary Show," from 7 to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday on ESPN 730.
Tigers Miss; Devin Ebanks Signs LOI with West Virginia
Ebanks Signs LOI
By Bryan Messerly for MSNsportsNET.com
May 18, 2008
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Devin Ebanks, who is ranked as one of the top basketball players in the country by numerous scouting services, has signed a grant-in-aid to attend West Virginia University in 2008-09 and play basketball for the Mountaineers, Coach Bob Huggins announced today.
Ebanks, a 6-foot-9, 205-pound forward from Long Island City, N.Y., is ranked second among small forwards and 11th overall in the class of 2008, according to Rivals.com. He is ranked fourth among small forwards and 13th overall, according to Scout.com.
Ebanks attended St. Thomas More School in Oakdale, Conn., where he averaged 23 points, 10 rebounds and five assists as a senior for Coach Jere Quinn. One of his best games was an 87-80 victory over South Kent, when he had a career-high 44 points to go with 14 rebounds. As a junior, he averaged 23 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals. Ebanks scored more than 1,000 points in his two seasons at St. Thomas More and was selected to play in the Jordan Brand Classic all-star game in New York last month.
"Devin gives us a very versatile scorer who can score in multiple ways," says Huggins. "At 6-foot-9, he's an outstanding perimeter shooter with size and mobility."
In the summer of 2007, Ebanks was one of 30 high school players to be invited to the USA Basketball Youth Development Festival at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., and averaged 28.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. He also shot 60.2 percent from the field and tallied 1.8 steals in 29.8 minutes per game. As a sophomore at Bishop Loughlin in Brooklyn, he averaged 18 points, nearly six rebounds and 1.3 assists. Ebanks played AAU basketball for Team Takeover and Coach Lawrence McGugins.
"He had a great visit to our campus last month," says Huggins. "One of the many things that pushed us over the top were his visits with our president and athletic director. Devin was impressed to spend a half hour with the president and athletic director, and had the feeling that everyone here is onboard to win a national championship."
Ebanks joins Darryl "Truck" Bryant (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Roscoe Davis (Upper Marlboro, Md.) and Kevin Jones (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) as signees for the 2008-09 season.
"On his visit, he fit in terrific with our team," says Huggins. "Our guys like him and look forward to playing with him. I think these four players give us an outstanding recruiting class. We have four guys who will be outstanding BIG EAST players and who will keep us in the national picture."
By Bryan Messerly for MSNsportsNET.com
May 18, 2008
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Devin Ebanks, who is ranked as one of the top basketball players in the country by numerous scouting services, has signed a grant-in-aid to attend West Virginia University in 2008-09 and play basketball for the Mountaineers, Coach Bob Huggins announced today.
Ebanks, a 6-foot-9, 205-pound forward from Long Island City, N.Y., is ranked second among small forwards and 11th overall in the class of 2008, according to Rivals.com. He is ranked fourth among small forwards and 13th overall, according to Scout.com.
Ebanks attended St. Thomas More School in Oakdale, Conn., where he averaged 23 points, 10 rebounds and five assists as a senior for Coach Jere Quinn. One of his best games was an 87-80 victory over South Kent, when he had a career-high 44 points to go with 14 rebounds. As a junior, he averaged 23 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals. Ebanks scored more than 1,000 points in his two seasons at St. Thomas More and was selected to play in the Jordan Brand Classic all-star game in New York last month.
"Devin gives us a very versatile scorer who can score in multiple ways," says Huggins. "At 6-foot-9, he's an outstanding perimeter shooter with size and mobility."
In the summer of 2007, Ebanks was one of 30 high school players to be invited to the USA Basketball Youth Development Festival at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., and averaged 28.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. He also shot 60.2 percent from the field and tallied 1.8 steals in 29.8 minutes per game. As a sophomore at Bishop Loughlin in Brooklyn, he averaged 18 points, nearly six rebounds and 1.3 assists. Ebanks played AAU basketball for Team Takeover and Coach Lawrence McGugins.
"He had a great visit to our campus last month," says Huggins. "One of the many things that pushed us over the top were his visits with our president and athletic director. Devin was impressed to spend a half hour with the president and athletic director, and had the feeling that everyone here is onboard to win a national championship."
Ebanks joins Darryl "Truck" Bryant (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Roscoe Davis (Upper Marlboro, Md.) and Kevin Jones (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) as signees for the 2008-09 season.
"On his visit, he fit in terrific with our team," says Huggins. "Our guys like him and look forward to playing with him. I think these four players give us an outstanding recruiting class. We have four guys who will be outstanding BIG EAST players and who will keep us in the national picture."
Saturday, May 17, 2008
From Dan Wolken on Conference Realignment
On conference realignment
Posted by Dan Wolken
When wishful thinking is combined with exceptionally vague reporting, the imagination can run wild.
And so it was on Thursday, when the city of Memphis and blogs nationwide were buzzing about Fox 13’s Wednesday night newscast claiming that Memphis was in talks with the Big East about joining the mega-conference.
Immediately, the Commercial Appeal called athletic director R.C. Johnson and Big East officials for the standard denials. Meanwhile, the mere idea of a move was enough to light up message boards and talk radio shows, trying to fill the vast empty spaces left by Fox’s report. How would such a move happen? When would it occur? Those are just two of the many questions that were conveniently left unanswered.
Based on numerous conversations over the course of many weeks, I will offer the following:
Do I think there is merit to the idea that powerful forces representing the interests of Memphis have made overtures to the Big East? Absolutely. In fact, that notion isn’t very new. This is a passage from a story I wrote last March — a somewhat controversial story in Conference USA circles on the day the 2007 league basketball tournament began.
While the Tigers have indeed blossomed into a national power the past two years, the biggest concern among those close to the program is whether that could continue in C-USA should Calipari leave. Calipari nearly took the North Carolina State job last spring and will likely continue to be hotly pursued by major programs that have openings in the future.
For that reason, several prominent boosters advocate Memphis not just position itself for the next conference realignment but to actively pursue membership in another league.
“We are a thoroughbred racehorse right now, and we need to be playing basketball with other thoroughbreds,” said Rick Spell, who sits on the six-member executive committee of the Tiger Athletic Advisory Board.
“Due to John’s magnificent marketing and coaching capabilities, the conference is not a concern. And we like our conference members. These are great universities, but I am concerned if John were to not be our coach, would we be able to maintain the high level that Memphis (fans) would want and feel they deserve?
“For the long-term viability of our basketball program, there needs to be massive Conference USA improvement, which may not be possible. Therefore, we need a conference that can give us a conference of peers.”
But which conference would that be? And how would Memphis get there?
The Big East already passed on Memphis once, and by signing a new TV deal worth more than $200 million with ESPN, its membership appears stable for the foreseeable future. Though it’s easy to envision the league’s eight private, non-football schools — most of whom are currently struggling to compete — eventually splitting off into their own league and opening slots in the Big East, it’s probably a distant scenario.
Though there is no current groundswell of conference movement that could have an impact on Memphis, the dominoes could start falling at any time.
“I believe the landscape will change again, and there will be another opportunity for the University of Memphis to take a shot at a BCS league,” said Alan Graf, executive vice president/CFO at FedEx and a significant Tigers supporter.
“You’ve got Tennessee and Ole Miss, so you wouldn’t think they’d want Memphis in the Southeastern Conference. You hear some about whether Arkansas is leaving or not. You hear a lot of rumors from time to time. Obviously, we’d never be in the Big Ten, but they only have 11 teams and would probably like a 12th, so there are things you could see out there starting a sort of chain reaction.”
In August, my colleague Geoff Calkins reinforced that idea:
But if (R.C.) Johnson is smart, he’ll call (Dave) Bronczek or FedEx CFO Alan Graf before the week is out. The conversation should go something like this.
Johnson: “Now that the baseball stadium is taken care of, I need one more favor.”
FedEx: “Just ask.”
Johnson; “I need one of you to serve on a special blue-ribbon task force I’m putting together to get Memphis into a BCS conference.”
FedEx: “What took you so long?”
That last line isn’t farfetched, either, after what Graf said about such a task force Thursday.
“I have told both Shirley (Raines) and R.C. — who need to lead this effort — that FedEx thinks we should do something more formal,” he said. “We would be ready and willing to be involved.”
So, in other words, I (and well-connected sources I speak with regularly) have no doubt that some of this has taken place.
But the devil’s in the details.
At this point — at least until there’s some evidence that the entire college sports landscape is about to change — it’s hard to see these supposed conversations as anything more than jockeying for position.
Given the Big East’s current configuration — 8 for football, 16 for basketball — there simply isn’t room for a Memphis all-sports membership unless somebody like Rutgers, Syracuse or Notre Dame leaves for the Big 10 or the Big East is getting ready to split up into a 9-team or 12-team all-sports conference. And if that’s about to happen, Fox 13 is way, way, way, way, way out in front on the nation’s biggest college sports story of the last couple years and doesn’t even know it. And even at that, it’s practically impossible for the conferences to start the revolving door until 2010.
Here’s what Memphis fans should be focused on right now. Given what happened in the last round of conference realignment — the perception among people that matter is that Memphis didn’t necessarily put it’s best foot forward in its argument to get into the Big East — I have no doubt that the school is going to be extremely well-prepared the next time.
The general speculation is that there will be a comprehensive push, once the sands begin to shift, which would probably include the Liberty Bowl and a major FedEx sponsorship package. Until then, there’s not much to do but wait for the dominoes to start falling.
Excellent Article From the The University Daily Kansan - Memphis Still Hurts, It's Hard to Dislike the Tigers
Memphis Still Hurts
It's hard to dislike the Tigers.
May 16, 2008
By Case Keefer
Inevitably, the national championship victory comes up everyday. You know it does.
It might be when you wake up and internally debate if Mario Chalmers released the shot with 3.9 or 3.8 seconds left to play. It might be when you open your closet and have to decide which of the wardrobe-full of national championship shirts to wear that day. It might be when you’re driving to class and see the national championship license plate frame on a Nissan Pathfinder with Illinois tags. Wait – I actually did see that Pathfinder this morning.
Nevertheless, it happened, Kansas 75, Memphis 68, and it’s made being in Lawrence as jolly as an episode of Father Knows Best for the last month.
But for a second, reverse those feelings. Imagine if Sherron Collins doesn’t make an incredible steal on an in-bounds pass and drain a three-pointer with two minutes to go. Imagine if the Tigers actually could shoot free throws like coach John Calipari insisted they could all season long. Think of the heartbreak. Picture the despair.
Welcome to Memphis, Tennessee. While Lawrence has basked in its glory, Memphis is left to contemplate what could have been. This column, Tiger loss is a tough one to let go, by Geoff Calkins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal perfectly illustrates the attitude of the town since that night - April 7th, 2008.
I’m not saying it’s unfair. I’m not saying Memphis should have won. And I’m certainly not suggesting that Lawrence hasn’t felt that hurt all too often in the last 20 years. But it’s always interesting to look back at the other side of the battle in perspective. In this case, it shows you how much the Tigers meant to their town.
*****
Memphis is a great city. It’s more than Elvis’ birthplace (of course, because it’s my birthplace). But seriously, Beale Street is one of the more under-rated tourist attractions in the nation and there’s plenty to keep you occupied around the city. And it’s a passionate sports town.
When the NFL announced it was expanding in the early 1990s, Memphis and its citizens put their hearts and souls into getting a team. They would be called the Memphis Hound Dogs and play at the Liberty Bowl. It was going to happen. It had to happen. It….failed.
Jacksonville and Charlotte were announced as the locations for the two expansion teams. Memphians were as lifeless as their native brethren Elvis. Adding insult to injury, the Houston Oilers bypassed Memphis and decided to move to Nashville a few years later. But wait - the Oilers had no where to go while their Nashville stadium was being constructed. Someone came up with the bright idea of having the team play in Memphis for two years.
Memphis was understandably bitter. No one, I mean no one went to the games. Despite an exciting team led by 24-year olds Steve McNair and Eddie George, Memphis wanted no part of this. The eight home games were some of the poorest attended events in the history of the NFL.
No thanks, we don’t want someone else’s team. There’s no reason to support these vagabond Oilers. That was the city’s attitude. The Oilers scrapped the idea of staying for an extra year. They got out faster than Amy Winehouse at rehab.
Not that there aren’t happier Memphis sports stories. AutoZone Park, home to the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds, is the nation’s premiere minor league baseball facility and cost a staggering $80 million to build. The city finally lured a professional sports franchise when the NBA’s Grizzlies descended upon the home of the blues seven years ago.
*****
I only chose to tell that story because of how well it describes the sports culture of Memphis. The NFL failures show how desperately the town wanted a team to be proud of. Memphis longed for a winner for the last 15 years. The city found that in the Tigers.
Calipari deemed this year’s Tigers as a “dream team”. And it’s hard to argue against that.
Before the national championship, Memphis flirted with perfection by only losing one game all season.
Yeah, yeah, its Conference USA schedule was noticeably easier than most of the nation’s elite teams. Memphis gets to play Rice, East Carolina and the Texas School for the Athletically Inclined every year instead of say, Florida, Tennessee and Kentucky.
(Upon further review, the Texas School for the Athletically Inclined is not in the CUSA but the MIC - My Imagination Conference. I apologize.)
But that didn’t really matter this year. If you watched the games, it was obvious that Calipari’s squad was something special. More importantly, they were easy to root for. Just take a glance down the starting roster.
Derrick Rose was the Axel Rose of the group. A Chicago-bred point guard, who will be a star in the NBA as early as next season, was simply dazzling to watch. Junior guard Antonio Anderson served as the defensive stopper with the kind of unselfishness that would make his pre-school teacher proud. That’s without even mentioning the team’s best college guard, All-American Chris Douglas-Roberts.
The starting frontcourt was so intimidating it could probably scare away whatever was inside of Emily Rose. Senior center Joey Dorsey and junior forward Robert Dozier made it a habit of embarrassing opposing big men.
These kids weren’t from Overland Park – or the Memphis-equivalent Germantown – either. Calipari plucked them straight out of the inner city. As the Kansas City Star’s Jason Whitlock wrote in this column, Calipari not afraid to take a chance on kids, Dorsey’s Baltimore home was basically a real-life version of HBO show The Wire’s setting.
But Calipari was able to coach them. Sure, there were trying times as there are with any college basketball program. In the end, though, the five guys on the court collectively were playing as hard as they could for not only themselves but the city of Memphis.
In fact, they were playing for the city of Memphis above all else. Want proof? Check out the welcome home video here from April 8th. Dorsey, Douglas-Roberts, Rose and the bunch couldn’t stop talking about Memphis.
That’s not normal. College athletes always thank the fans, the coaches and their teammates but rarely do they feel as strongly about their city as the Tigers did.
It’s far from surprising, though. Nope – not if you understand the way Memphis embraced this basketball team.
It's hard to dislike the Tigers.
May 16, 2008
By Case Keefer
Inevitably, the national championship victory comes up everyday. You know it does.
It might be when you wake up and internally debate if Mario Chalmers released the shot with 3.9 or 3.8 seconds left to play. It might be when you open your closet and have to decide which of the wardrobe-full of national championship shirts to wear that day. It might be when you’re driving to class and see the national championship license plate frame on a Nissan Pathfinder with Illinois tags. Wait – I actually did see that Pathfinder this morning.
Nevertheless, it happened, Kansas 75, Memphis 68, and it’s made being in Lawrence as jolly as an episode of Father Knows Best for the last month.
But for a second, reverse those feelings. Imagine if Sherron Collins doesn’t make an incredible steal on an in-bounds pass and drain a three-pointer with two minutes to go. Imagine if the Tigers actually could shoot free throws like coach John Calipari insisted they could all season long. Think of the heartbreak. Picture the despair.
Welcome to Memphis, Tennessee. While Lawrence has basked in its glory, Memphis is left to contemplate what could have been. This column, Tiger loss is a tough one to let go, by Geoff Calkins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal perfectly illustrates the attitude of the town since that night - April 7th, 2008.
I’m not saying it’s unfair. I’m not saying Memphis should have won. And I’m certainly not suggesting that Lawrence hasn’t felt that hurt all too often in the last 20 years. But it’s always interesting to look back at the other side of the battle in perspective. In this case, it shows you how much the Tigers meant to their town.
*****
Memphis is a great city. It’s more than Elvis’ birthplace (of course, because it’s my birthplace). But seriously, Beale Street is one of the more under-rated tourist attractions in the nation and there’s plenty to keep you occupied around the city. And it’s a passionate sports town.
When the NFL announced it was expanding in the early 1990s, Memphis and its citizens put their hearts and souls into getting a team. They would be called the Memphis Hound Dogs and play at the Liberty Bowl. It was going to happen. It had to happen. It….failed.
Jacksonville and Charlotte were announced as the locations for the two expansion teams. Memphians were as lifeless as their native brethren Elvis. Adding insult to injury, the Houston Oilers bypassed Memphis and decided to move to Nashville a few years later. But wait - the Oilers had no where to go while their Nashville stadium was being constructed. Someone came up with the bright idea of having the team play in Memphis for two years.
Memphis was understandably bitter. No one, I mean no one went to the games. Despite an exciting team led by 24-year olds Steve McNair and Eddie George, Memphis wanted no part of this. The eight home games were some of the poorest attended events in the history of the NFL.
No thanks, we don’t want someone else’s team. There’s no reason to support these vagabond Oilers. That was the city’s attitude. The Oilers scrapped the idea of staying for an extra year. They got out faster than Amy Winehouse at rehab.
Not that there aren’t happier Memphis sports stories. AutoZone Park, home to the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds, is the nation’s premiere minor league baseball facility and cost a staggering $80 million to build. The city finally lured a professional sports franchise when the NBA’s Grizzlies descended upon the home of the blues seven years ago.
*****
I only chose to tell that story because of how well it describes the sports culture of Memphis. The NFL failures show how desperately the town wanted a team to be proud of. Memphis longed for a winner for the last 15 years. The city found that in the Tigers.
Calipari deemed this year’s Tigers as a “dream team”. And it’s hard to argue against that.
Before the national championship, Memphis flirted with perfection by only losing one game all season.
Yeah, yeah, its Conference USA schedule was noticeably easier than most of the nation’s elite teams. Memphis gets to play Rice, East Carolina and the Texas School for the Athletically Inclined every year instead of say, Florida, Tennessee and Kentucky.
(Upon further review, the Texas School for the Athletically Inclined is not in the CUSA but the MIC - My Imagination Conference. I apologize.)
But that didn’t really matter this year. If you watched the games, it was obvious that Calipari’s squad was something special. More importantly, they were easy to root for. Just take a glance down the starting roster.
Derrick Rose was the Axel Rose of the group. A Chicago-bred point guard, who will be a star in the NBA as early as next season, was simply dazzling to watch. Junior guard Antonio Anderson served as the defensive stopper with the kind of unselfishness that would make his pre-school teacher proud. That’s without even mentioning the team’s best college guard, All-American Chris Douglas-Roberts.
The starting frontcourt was so intimidating it could probably scare away whatever was inside of Emily Rose. Senior center Joey Dorsey and junior forward Robert Dozier made it a habit of embarrassing opposing big men.
These kids weren’t from Overland Park – or the Memphis-equivalent Germantown – either. Calipari plucked them straight out of the inner city. As the Kansas City Star’s Jason Whitlock wrote in this column, Calipari not afraid to take a chance on kids, Dorsey’s Baltimore home was basically a real-life version of HBO show The Wire’s setting.
But Calipari was able to coach them. Sure, there were trying times as there are with any college basketball program. In the end, though, the five guys on the court collectively were playing as hard as they could for not only themselves but the city of Memphis.
In fact, they were playing for the city of Memphis above all else. Want proof? Check out the welcome home video here from April 8th. Dorsey, Douglas-Roberts, Rose and the bunch couldn’t stop talking about Memphis.
That’s not normal. College athletes always thank the fans, the coaches and their teammates but rarely do they feel as strongly about their city as the Tigers did.
It’s far from surprising, though. Nope – not if you understand the way Memphis embraced this basketball team.
I Agree With Bruce Pearl - Early Exit Players Like Rose and CDR Hurt the School's Graduation Rates, Can Cause NCAA Penalties
I brought up this exact thing two days ago in responding to a reader's comment. Think about it - Rose and CDR leaving early mean neither graduate and that works against the new NCAA rules for required number of players graduating. One and done and early exit players (while most likely really good players) can have a negative effect if the program loses scholarships. COACH
Pearl rips NCAA early-exit rules
Posted: Friday May 16, 2008 06:10AM ET
After a season during which Tennessee lost a basketball scholarship for poor academic performance, Coach Bruce Pearl on Thursday called for changes to NCAA rules that penalize schools when players turn pro early or voluntarily leave for other schools. Under the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate system, schools are penalized when players are academically ineligible or when they leave the program. Universities are most heavily penalized when a player who is academically ineligible leaves the program. Pearl said he supports the intent of the rules but worries that schools are being unfairly punished when players leave on their own or transfer to other schools after being dismissed for disciplinary reasons.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
From Rivals.com - Derek Kellogg Happy to Find Himself at Home
Kellogg happy to find himself at home
By Andrew Skwara
Rivals.com College Basketball Staff Writer
The happiest man in college basketball may be the one who recently moved into Travis Ford's old office.
Three weeks ago, Derek Kellogg landed his first head-coaching gig, replacing Ford at Massachusetts. But this isn't your traditional story of some guy getting his start at the bottom of the Division I ranks far from home.
Former UMass point guard Derek Kellogg, an assistant under John Calipari at Memphis, has his first head-coaching job.
Kellogg was born, raised and played his high school ball 25 minutes from the UMass campus, in Springfield, Mass., home of the Basketball Hall of Fame. Kellogg went on to be a starting point guard for John Calipari at UMass during the program's glory days in the early to mid-1990s. That's where he met his future wife, Nicole. It's where he began his coaching career as a graduate assistant under Calipari. And much of his family still lives nearby, including his parents, who reside about 10 miles from UMass' home arena, the Mullins Center.
Five days after Kellogg was introduced as the Minutemen's new coach in front of 1,500 fans at a news conference, he experienced another huge thrill: Nicole gave birth to their first child, Maximus Antonio Kellogg.
"Two of my wife's college roommates sent us a UMass baby outfit about a month ago, so it turned out to get be a good omen," Kellogg said in a thick New England accent. "I've always felt that this is one of the greatest jobs in the country. Obviously, I'm a little biased in saying that. It holds a special place in my heart.
"But everybody I've known who has ever gone to school here has said they've had an unbelievably enjoyable experience. This is a great area to be in and live. Many people stay here their whole lives. I love everything about Amherst. ... This is my dream job, and I envision myself being here for a long, long time."
Perhaps that's why UMass didn't pursue more high-profile candidates. They spent much of the past two months trying to hold onto Ford, who was linked to several openings before his third season with the Minutemen came to an end. Ford turned down an offer from Providence and spoke to LSU officials about their opening. On April 10, the school issued a news release in which athletic director John McCutcheon said, "As all of you know, we've gone through the last couple of days with a great deal of anticipation. We would like everyone to know that Travis Ford will be with us for many years to come."
But five days later, Ford interviewed for the opening at Oklahoma State and went on to sign a seven-year contract worth $9.1 million with the Cowboys.
"We were real depressed," Minutemen shooting guard Ricky Harris said. "There was a lot of sadness all around. It was also tough for Ford to leave the people here."
There were understandable reasons for wanting to stay at UMass. Ford leaves behind a team that will have one of the nation's top backcourts next season, another source for Kellogg's enthusiasm.
Harris, who will be a junior in 2008-09, averaged 18.2 points while earning the Atlantic 10's most improved player award and helping lead UMass to the NIT championship game this past season.
Veteran Chris Lowe gives Kellogg the luxury of having a four-year starting point guard. The senior-to-be is coming off a year where he averaged 11.8 points and led the Atlantic 10 with 6.3 assists per game.
Wake Forest transfer Anthony Gurley, a former four-star recruit who sat out last season, could start alongside Harris and Lowe. A 6-foot-3 shooting guard from Boston, Gurley averaged 6.4 points in 14.5 minutes per game as a freshman in the ACC two seasons ago.
"Anthony is a great shooter and he's also athletic," said Lowe, who battled against Gurley in practice last season. "He's also got a great work ethic."
The Minutemen are losing their top three rebounders and leading scorer Gary Forbes (19.4 ppg), but three other reserves who averaged double-digit minutes are returning.
"This team is very tailor-made for what we did at Memphis," said Kellogg, who had been an assistant under Calipari with the Tigers for the past eight seasons. "We are a little thin on the rebounding department and I'm not sure who we are going to throw the ball to on the inside, but these guys are used to playing an up-tempo style and we have the personnel needed to run this and be very successful."
By "this," Kellogg means the dribble-drive motion offense that Memphis used to reach three consecutive Elite Eights, tie an NCAA-record with 104 victories over the past three seasons and reach the 2008 national title game. The offense is predicated on guards beating their defenders off the dribble and attacking the basket. Little screening is used and the ball is not passed inside much. Post players largely remain on the weak side in hopes of scoring on a putback.
Kellogg already has put plans in place to implement the same system at UMass. He hired former Pepperdine coach Vance Walberg, the architect of the dribble-drive motion offense, as an assistant, and the players have begun working on its basic principles in offseason workouts.
"I think this offense can showcase my abilities, especially in the open court," Harris said. "There are a lot more iso's (isolations) - that is the biggest difference. I've got an all-around game and I can use it more now. In the past, if I got a rebound, I gave it to Chris. Now, I can push the ball up the court myself."
Lowe also gave the new offense rave reviews. "It's a very fun style to play," he said. "Once we get it down, we can be scary good."
That must sound scary to the rest of the A-10, considering the Minutemen tied for eighth in the nation in scoring last season at 81.5 points per game. The high mark was 107 points in a victory over Syracuse in the Carrier Dome.
The implementation of a fast-paced offense often makes new coaches popular with their players, but it's the eight years that Kellogg spent under Calipari at Memphis that give him instant credibility.
"He comes from one of the best programs in the country," Lowe said. "If you want to win and have a chance to play at the next level, you have to listen to him."
Kellogg was part of a Memphis program that won 11 games in the past three NCAA Tournaments. Kellogg gives much of the credit to Calipari's ability to scout players who steadily improve once they're in college. The Tigers had only one McDonald's All-American (Derrick Rose) last season.
"I worked with one of the best guys in college coaching and one of the best recruiters in the business," said Kellogg, who was selected one of Rivals.com's top 25 recruiters in 2006. "He took many guys who weren't rated highly coming out of high school and zeroed in on their potential to get better.
"He often took guys with chips on their shoulder, guys who would come in with something to prove. That's what I will be looking to do here. I want gym rats. I want players with passion."
Andrew Skwara is a national writer for Rivals.com. He can be reached at askwara@rivals.com.
From Dick Weiss - Pitt Assistant Orlando Antigua Mentioned as Possible Tiger Assistant
We keep hearing former St. Ray’s and Pitt star/current Pitt assistant Orlando Antigua being mentioned as a strong candidate for a second vacancy on John Calipari’s staff.
Dick Weiss - better known as "Hoops" - has been covering college basketball for 40 years, and since 1993 for the NYDN. He is a past president of the College Football and Basketball Writers' Associations and is a member of the USBWA college basketball writers' Hall of Fame.
From AZ Sports Hub - The Lute Olson Debacle: Six Questions with our Wildcats Insider
The Lute Olson Debacle: Six Questions with our Wildcats Insider
05/14/08 5:19 PM
The Lute Olson situation debacle has gone from confusing to perplexing, and from harmless to shameful. Here at AZSH, we could only sit back, scratch our heads and say “What the heck is going on here?”
To clear up all of the various situations, I figured there is no better person to reach out to than our Wilcats Insider, Josh Gershon, Senior Editor and Columnist for GOAZCATS.com. And what he has to say does shed some insight on everything happening down in Tucson.
1. What do you make of Josh Pastner leaving for Memphis?
I think it’s a big blow for Arizona’s basketball program. A good percentage of the UA fan base doesn’t understand Pastner’s importance to the program, not only in recruiting but in day to day operations. John Calipari and the several other coaches that sought Pastner out realized what he could do for their programs though and in the end Pastner is in a good spot. Arizona is going to have to find an established, well-connected recruiter to replace him.
2. What is the general feeling down in Tucson about the way that Lute has handled everything so far this offseason?
I think a good percentage of the UA fan base will always be supportive of Lute Olson no matter what he does. He does have doubters of course but there are always going to be a large amount of fans that support every move he makes.
3. What has been the effect, or will be the effect on recruiting for the coming seasons, following this turbulent season/offseason?
There has been some stalls in recruiting, but we’ll see if the new staff can make up ground. It was tough for the previous assistants to recruit but maybe the new assistants will find it easier. I guess it remains to be seen.
4. Did Miles Simon really play a role in Lute Olson’s divorce?
Absolutely not. It’s a vicious rumor with no truth.
5. How serious is Nic Wise about transferring?
He’s very serious about it. Unless Lute Olson convinces him otherwise, right now it definitely looks like he’s leaning towards leaving.
6. With all that has happened, how do you think the team will fare next season?
Ask me again when Chase Budinger and Nic Wise make their final decisions. If they both return, UA could be very good. If they both leave, Arizona could struggle next season. Budinger and Wise coming back to school is very important.
Tulsa World - NCAA rosters plundered by the NBA
NCAA rosters plundered by the NBA
By DAVE SITTLER
Tulsa World Sports Columnist
5/14/2008
The current status of the starting lineups in last month's Kansas-Memphis national championship game dramatically highlight the ever-changing world of college basketball.
As of now, none of the 10 players on the floor for the opening tip at the Alamodome in San Antonio on April 7 plan to return to college next season. Not one.
Only three of the 10 were seniors who have used up their eligibility — KU's Russell Robinson and Darnell Jackson, and Memphis' Joey Dorsey. The other seven are underclassmen who have entered their names in next month's NBA Draft.
Those seven were among a staggering 69 underclassmen at schools in the United States who notified the NBA they want to be included in the draft. There are also 22 international players on the early entry list.
The interest among American players skyrocketed this year because of a new NCAA rule, which allows underclassmen to have their workouts paid for by NBA teams without losing their college eligibility.
With only 60 spots available in the two-round draft, a lot of players are obviously going to go undrafted if they stick to their plan to turn professional. That's why the NBA gives underclassmen until 4 p.m. (CST) on June 16 to change their minds and return to school.
That means the 16th day of June is a date a whole lot of coaches will have circled on their calenders, including Oklahoma's Jeff Capel and Tulsa's Doug Wojcik.
The Sooners and Golden Hurricane could benefit big time in their respective conference races if KU and Memphis have to totally rebuild their starting lineups.
Coach John Calipari's legendary recruiting ability will always ensure Memphis is one of Conference USA's top preseason picks. But even Calipari would feel the hit if the Tigers lose the entire foursome of Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Antonio Anderson and Robert Dozier.
Rose, who could be the draft's overall No. 1 selection, is definitely gone. And most figure that Douglas-Roberts, much like OU linebacker Curtis Lofton in last month's NFL Draft, will capitalize on an outstanding junior season and strike while his name is hot.
If Anderson and Dozier stay in school, Memphis will retain its status as a national power. That's because the Tigers return several solid backups like Shawn Taggart, Willie Kemp and Doneal Mack, and Calipari is busy putting together what could be the nation's No. 1-ranked recruiting class.
Still, next to the Tigers' runner-up finish in the national title chase, TU finished the season as the second-hottest C-USA team. And the Hurricane, winner of 25 games and the inaugural CBI Tournament, returns a deep and talented group that is led by the exciting trio of guard Ben Uzoh, forward Ray Reese and center Jerome Jordan.
KU, which defeated Memphis in overtime to give the Big 12 its first national hoops title, isn't the only conference school that Capel will be watching as June 16th approaches. In addition to the KU threesome of Brandon Rush, Darrell Arthur and Mario Chalmers, the Big 12 had eight more underclassmen declare for the draft.
The large number of Big 12 players testing the NBA waters makes OU power forward Blake Griffin's decision to play his sophomore season with the Sooners all the more significant. Had the 6-foot-10, 243-pound Griffin made the jump, he probably would have been the third Big 12 player drafted, behind Kansas State power forward Michael Beasley and Texas point guard D.J. Augustin.
Predicting the 2008-09 preseason Big 12 race is impossible until after June 16. But Griffin's decision, coupled with Capel signing McDonald's All-American guard Willie Warren, prompted the Rivals.com Web site to rank the Sooners No. 1 in the Big 12 and No. 7 nationally.
That projection demonstrates the volatility of college basketball. Immediately after the Final Four, and before any of the Big 12 underclassmen had declared, ESPN.com ranked Texas No. 1 and KU No. 4 in its 2008-09 preseason poll.
Like Calipari, KU coach Bill Self is also a dynamite recruiter. And even if none of his underclassmen return, Self has predicted the Jayhawks will be fine next season.
"We've signed five really good players, better than anybody thinks they are," Self said after KU won the school's third national championship. "There's a chance all of the (underclassmen) will stay in the draft. We're preparing like we're not going to have those guys.
"But I think we'll be really good and competitive no matter what, but it'll be a different-looking team."
Come June 16, different-looking teams could be the norm in the Big 12 and C-USA.
2010 C-USA men's basketball tournament awarded to Tulsa
2010 C-USA men's basketball tournament awarded to Tulsa
El Paso Times staff report
Article Launched: 05/15/2008 05:54:39 PM MDT
DESTIN, Fla. -- Conference USA decided Thursday that Tulsa would be the host of the conference's 2010 men's basketball tournament.
UTEP, with backing from the city of El Paso, was bidding for the tournament, but the conference never really opened bidding for the 2010 tournament.
UTEP athletic director Bob Stull said Thursday that city's bid for the 2011 tournament, though, looks good.
The 2010 C-USA men's basketball tournament never truly was up for bidding because the conference decided to take the 2009 tournament away from Tulsa, which originally had been awarded the 2009 tournament, and move it back to Memphis.
The reason for that is the 2009 Big 12 men's tournament is in Norman, Okla., and Conference USA didn't want it's men's basketball tournament to be in such close proximity to the Big 12's tournament.
So the conference then gave Tulsa the 2010 tournament. As such, the next tournament truly up for bidding is the 2011 tournament.
El Paso Times staff report
Article Launched: 05/15/2008 05:54:39 PM MDT
DESTIN, Fla. -- Conference USA decided Thursday that Tulsa would be the host of the conference's 2010 men's basketball tournament.
UTEP, with backing from the city of El Paso, was bidding for the tournament, but the conference never really opened bidding for the 2010 tournament.
UTEP athletic director Bob Stull said Thursday that city's bid for the 2011 tournament, though, looks good.
The 2010 C-USA men's basketball tournament never truly was up for bidding because the conference decided to take the 2009 tournament away from Tulsa, which originally had been awarded the 2009 tournament, and move it back to Memphis.
The reason for that is the 2009 Big 12 men's tournament is in Norman, Okla., and Conference USA didn't want it's men's basketball tournament to be in such close proximity to the Big 12's tournament.
So the conference then gave Tulsa the 2010 tournament. As such, the next tournament truly up for bidding is the 2011 tournament.
U of M denies Big East negotiations
U of M denies Big East negotiations
But Tigers 'positioned' to switch leagues
By Phil Stukenborg
May 15, 2008
University of Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson said Thursday he has not entered into any discussions with representatives of the Big East Conference regarding Memphis as a possible expansion target.
While Johnson has said the Tiger athletic program, a member of Conference USA, continues to make itself an attractive option for a Bowl Championship Series conference, there have been no meetings with the Big East.
‘‘No, absolutely not,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘I have had no meetings with the Big East.’’
Johnson was reached by phone at the C-USA spring meetings in Destin, Fla., where league commissioner Britton Banowsky, other league officials, coaches and administrators congregate annually in mid-May to discuss league matters.
‘‘In fact, Britton called me because he got a call about it,’’ Johnson said, regarding a WHBQ-TV report Wednesday that the UofM had entered serious discussions with the Big East. ‘‘We stepped out of our meeting.’’
When reached Thursday in Rhode Island, John Paquette, a Big East spokesman, said he had seen the television report on the Internet. The Big East has 16 teams, eight of which play football.
“We have no expansion plans and are speaking to no schools about expansion,” Paquette said.
Johnson also said no representatives of the university had entered into discussions with the Big East about the UofM being an expansion candidate.
Johnson said he has routinely kept Banowsky informed of the UofM’s interest in upgrading its program. Eventually, the Tigers — charter members when C-USA formed in 1996 — would like to land in a BCS league, which brings added prestige, lucrative bowl games, higher annual revenue distributions and a better opportunity to play for a national football championship.
‘‘The best thing for us is I’ve been involved with the management council and the presidents on the NCAA board,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘We have an incredible amount of interaction with athletic directors and presidents of other schools and other conferences. We’ve kept that pipeline open.’’
Since former C-USA members Louisville, Cincinnati and South Florida departed for the Big East after the 2004 season, the Tigers have, according to Johnson, continued to make themselves more attractive.
The men’s basketball team has made repeated deep runs in the NCAA tournament, including playing for the national title last month against Kansas. The football team, which went to bowl games after the 2003 and ’04 seasons, earned bowl trips in 2005 and ’07, as well.
‘‘To win in basketball — plus the four bowl games — really (boosted) our visibility,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘I don’t know when something will happen, but I think something will happen. And I think we’ve really positioned ourselves.
‘‘We’ve got incredible coaches, our academics have really improved, our sports successes have really improved. And making this run to the Final Four ... we’ve really got ourselves positioned.’’
But Tigers 'positioned' to switch leagues
By Phil Stukenborg
May 15, 2008
University of Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson said Thursday he has not entered into any discussions with representatives of the Big East Conference regarding Memphis as a possible expansion target.
While Johnson has said the Tiger athletic program, a member of Conference USA, continues to make itself an attractive option for a Bowl Championship Series conference, there have been no meetings with the Big East.
‘‘No, absolutely not,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘I have had no meetings with the Big East.’’
Johnson was reached by phone at the C-USA spring meetings in Destin, Fla., where league commissioner Britton Banowsky, other league officials, coaches and administrators congregate annually in mid-May to discuss league matters.
‘‘In fact, Britton called me because he got a call about it,’’ Johnson said, regarding a WHBQ-TV report Wednesday that the UofM had entered serious discussions with the Big East. ‘‘We stepped out of our meeting.’’
When reached Thursday in Rhode Island, John Paquette, a Big East spokesman, said he had seen the television report on the Internet. The Big East has 16 teams, eight of which play football.
“We have no expansion plans and are speaking to no schools about expansion,” Paquette said.
Johnson also said no representatives of the university had entered into discussions with the Big East about the UofM being an expansion candidate.
Johnson said he has routinely kept Banowsky informed of the UofM’s interest in upgrading its program. Eventually, the Tigers — charter members when C-USA formed in 1996 — would like to land in a BCS league, which brings added prestige, lucrative bowl games, higher annual revenue distributions and a better opportunity to play for a national football championship.
‘‘The best thing for us is I’ve been involved with the management council and the presidents on the NCAA board,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘We have an incredible amount of interaction with athletic directors and presidents of other schools and other conferences. We’ve kept that pipeline open.’’
Since former C-USA members Louisville, Cincinnati and South Florida departed for the Big East after the 2004 season, the Tigers have, according to Johnson, continued to make themselves more attractive.
The men’s basketball team has made repeated deep runs in the NCAA tournament, including playing for the national title last month against Kansas. The football team, which went to bowl games after the 2003 and ’04 seasons, earned bowl trips in 2005 and ’07, as well.
‘‘To win in basketball — plus the four bowl games — really (boosted) our visibility,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘I don’t know when something will happen, but I think something will happen. And I think we’ve really positioned ourselves.
‘‘We’ve got incredible coaches, our academics have really improved, our sports successes have really improved. And making this run to the Final Four ... we’ve really got ourselves positioned.’’
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
PrepStar.com's Rob Harrington - Final Rankings Class of 2008 (Evans #4, Witherspoon #36, Simpkins #57, Garcia #70)
Jennings leaps to top of final rankings for Class of '08
Brandon Jennings had just enough on his resume to finish off the year in the top spot in the Class of 2008 rankings according to PrepStars.com's Rob Harrington.
By Rob Harrington, special to USA TODAY
California point guard Brandon Jennings seized control of the top spot in the Class of 2008, beating out previous No. 1 Greg Monroe and others in the final rankings. Jennings was fantastic as a senior at Oak Hill Academy, building on what was an excellent summer of 2007 and a terrific overall career portfolio.
But Jennings wasn't an easy choice. A fall signee for Arizona, the slender guard is among one of several candidates who made a legitimate push for the top position in the class. While these rankings are based on college potential, it's likely that others — such as USC-bound wing Demar DeRozan, No. 2 among seniors — rank as better NBA prospects.
Yet another Californian, combo guard Jrue Holiday, gives the Golden State a clean sweep of the top three positions. Some scouts on the West Coast regard Holiday as the No. 1 player in the state, in this case equaling the top overall prospect in the senior class, and his superlative senior year certainly gives that argument credence.
Many fans, upon viewing a set of final rankings, ask to what extent the postseason all-star games factor into the picture. Events such as the McDonald's All-American Game offer many their first look at the nation's elite seniors, comprising the bulk of those fans' opinions about individual prospects.
Player Ht. Position High school College choice
1. Brandon Jennings 6-1 PG Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) ARIZONA
2. Demar DeRozan 6-6 WF Compton (Calif.) SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
3. Jrue Holiday 6-4 SG/PG Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, Calif.) UCLA
4. Tyreke Evans 6-5 SG American Christian (Aston, Pa.) MEMPHIS
5. B.J. Mullens 7-0 C Canal Winchester (Ohio) OHIO STATE
6. Samardo Samuels 6-9 C St. Benedict's (Newark, N.J.) LOUISVILLE
7. Al-Farouq Aminu 6-8 WF/PF Norcross (Ga.) WAKE FOREST
8. Greg Monroe 6-10 PF Helen Cox (Harvey, La.) GEORGETOWN
9. Chris Singleton 6-8 PF/WF Dunwoody (Ga.) FLORIDA STATE
10. Devin Ebanks 6-8 WF St. Thomas More (Oakdale, Conn.)
11. Scotty Hopson 6-6 SG University Heights (Hopkinsville, Ky.) TENNESSEE
12. John Riek 7-2 C Winchendon (Mass.) NBA
13. Ed Davis 6-8 PF Benedictine (Richmond, Va.) NORTH CAROLINA
14. Delvon Roe 6-8 PF/WF St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) MICHIGAN STATE
15. William Buford 6-4 SG Libbey (Toledo, Ohio) OHIO STATE
16. Malcolm Lee 6-4 PG/SG Riverside North (Calif.) UCLA
17. Kemba Walker 6-0 PG Rice (New York) CONNECTICUT
18. Jerime Anderson 6-1 PG Canyon (Anaheim, Calif.) UCLA
19. Luke Babbitt 6-7 PF/WF Galena (Reno, Nev.) NEVADA
20. Jeff Withey 6-11 C Horizon (San Diego) ARIZONA
21. Elliot Williams 6-4 SG St. George's (Collierville, Tenn.) DUKE
22. Darius Miller 6-6 WF Mason County (Maysville, Ky.) KENTUCKY
23. J'Mison Morgan 6-10 C South Oak Cliff (Dallas)
24. Ty Walker 7-0 C New Hanover (Wilmington, N.C.) WAKE FOREST
25. DeQuan Jones 6-6 WF Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) MIAMI
26. Willie Warren 6-2 SG North Crowley (Fort Worth, Texas) OKLAHOMA
27. Kenny Kadji 6-10 C IMG (Bradenton, Fla.) FLORIDA
28. Tyler Zeller 6-11 C Washington (Ind.) NORTH CAROLINA
29. JaMychal Green 6-7 PF St. Jude (Montgomery, Ala.) ALABAMA
30. Iman Shumpert 6-3 SG/PG River Forest (Oak Park, Ill.) GEORGIA TECH
31. Trey Thompkins 6-9 PF Wesleyan (Norcross, Ga.) GEORGIA
32. DeAndre Liggins 6-5 SG Findlay (Henderson, Nev.) KENTUCKY
33. Markieff Morris 6-9 PF/C Apex (Pennsauken, N.J.) KANSAS
34. Rashanti Harris 6-8 C New Hope (Columbus, Miss.)
35. Drew Gordon 6-9 C/PF Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) UCLA
36. Wesley Witherspoon 6-7 WF Berkmar (Lilburn, Ga.) MEMPHIS
37. Eloy Vargas 6-9 PF American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) FLORIDA
38. Marcus Morris 6-9 PF Apex (Pennsauken, N.J.) KANSAS
39. Tony Mitchell 6-6 WF Swainsboro (Ga.) ALABAMA
40. Travis Releford 6-5 SG/WF Bishop Miege (Roeland Park, Kan.) KANSAS
41. Terrence Jennings 6-9 C Notre Dame (Fitchburg, Mass.) LOUISVILLE
42. Romero Osby 6-7 PF/WF Northeast Lauderdale (Meridian, Miss.) MISSISSIPPI STATE
43. Mike Rosario 6-2 SG/PG St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) RUTGERS
44. Mike Dunigan 6-9 C Farragut (Chicago) OREGON
45. Larry Drew 5-11 PG Taft (Woodland Hills, Calif.) NORTH CAROLINA
46. Sylven Landesberg 6-6 SG/WF Holy Cross (Flushing, N.Y.) VIRGINIA
47. Yancy Gates 6-9 C Withrow (Cincinnati) CINCINNATI
48. Scott Suggs 6-6 SG Washington (Mo.) WASHINGTON
49. Catalin Baciu 7-0 C Veritas Christian (Fletcher, N.C.) CLEMSON
50. Anthony Jones 6-9 WF Yates (Houston) BAYLOR
51. Elston Turner 6-4 SG Elkins (Missouri City, Texas) WASHINGTON
52. D.J. Seeley 6-4 SG/PG Modesto Christian (Calif.) CALIFORNIA
53. Tony Woods 6-10 C Rome (Ga.) WAKE FOREST
54. Ralph Sampson III 6-10 C Northview (Duluth, Ga.) MINNESOTA
55. Delwan Graham 6-7 PF/WF Dunwoody (Ga.) LOUISIANA STATE
56. Emmanuel Negedu 6-6 PF Brewster (Wolfeboro, N.H.) ARIZONA
57. Matt Simpkins 6-8 PF Patterson (Lenoir, N.C.) MEMPHIS
58. Sean Mosley 6-4 SG St. Frances (Baltimore) MARYLAND
59. Kenny Frease 6-11 C Perry (Massillon, Ohio) XAVIER
60. Mookie Jones 6-6 WF Peekskill (N.Y.) SYRACUSE
61. David Gibbs 6-3 PG Masters (West Simsbury, Conn.) MASSACHUSETTS
62. Tyshawn Taylor 6-3 PG/SG St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) KANSAS
63. Storm Warren 6-7 PF Richwood (Monroe, La.) LOUISIANA STATE
64. Kris Joseph 6-6 WF Archbishop Carroll (Washington) SYRACUSE
65. Olek Czyz 6-7 PF/WF Reno (Nev.) DUKE
66. Ray Shipman 6-5 SG/WF Pace (Opa Locka, Fla.) FLORIDA
67. Terrelle Pryor 6-6 PF/WF Jeannette (Pa.) OHIO STATE (FB)
68. Courtney Fortson 5-10 PG Patterson (Lenoir, N.C.) ARKANSAS
69. Jarrett Mann 6-4 SG Middletown (Del.) STANFORD
70. Angel Garcia 6-10 PF East Chicago Central (Ind.) MEMPHIS
71. Kevin Jones 6-7 PF Mount Vernon (N.Y.) WEST VIRGINIA
72. Andre Clark 6-9 PF Genesis One (Mendenhall, Miss.) OKLAHOMA
73. Isaiah Thomas 5-9 PG/SG South Kent (Conn.) WASHINGTON
74. Deividas Dulkys 6-3 SG Findlay (Henderson, Nev.) FLORIDA STATE
75. Michael Harthun 6-2 SG/PG Medford South (Ore.) WASHINGTON STATE
76. Xavier Gibson 6-9 PF Northview (Duluth, Ala.) FLORIDA STATE
77. Renaldo Woolridge 6-7 WF Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) TENNESSEE
78. Devoe Joseph 6-3 SG Pickering (Ajax, Canada) MINNESOTA
79. Quintrell Thomas 6-7 PF St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) KANSAS
80. Luke Loucks 6-4 PG/SG Clearwater (Fla.) FLORIDA STATE
81. Kwamain Mitchell 6-1 PG/SG Dominican (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) SAINT LOUIS
82. Jared Berggren 6-10 C Princeton (Minn.) WISCONSIN
83. Anthony Crater 6-1 PG Hargrave Military (Chatham, Va.) OHIO STATE
84. Nasir Robinson 6-5 WF/PF Chester (Pa.) PITTSBURGH
85. Victor Davila 6-8 PF Starmount (Boonville, N.C.) VIRGINIA TECH
86. Ashton Gibbs 6-1 SG/PG Seton Hall (West Orange, N.J.) PITTSBURGH
87. Robert Wilson 6-2 SG Garfield Heights (Ohio) WISCONSIN
88. Henry Sims 6-10 C Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) GEORGETOWN
89. Eshaunte Jones 6-3 SG/PG Hargrave Military (Chatham, Va.) OREGON STATE
90. Dee Bost 6-2 PG Hargrave Military (Chatham, Va.) MISSISSIPPI STATE
91. Drew Wiley 6-6 WF Thurston (Springfield, Ore.) OREGON
92. J'Covan Brown 6-2 SG Memorial (Port Arthur, Texas) TEXAS
93. Jared Swopshire 6-7 WF IMG (Bradenton, Fla.) LOUISVILLE
94. Allan Chaney 6-8 PF New London (Conn.) FLORIDA
95. Brad Tinsley 6-4 SG Oregon City (Ore.) VANDERBILT
96. Andrew Steele 6-3 SG Carroll (Birmingham, Ala.) ALABAMA
97. Kim English 6-5 WF Notre Dame (Fitchburg, Mass.) MISSOURI
98. Terrance Henry 6-8 PF Carroll (Monroe, La.) MISSISSIPPI
99. Chris Braswell 6-9 PF/C Dematha (Hyattsville, Md.) GEORGETOWN
100. Jason Clark 6-2 SG Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.) GEORGETOWN
Brandon Jennings had just enough on his resume to finish off the year in the top spot in the Class of 2008 rankings according to PrepStars.com's Rob Harrington.
By Rob Harrington, special to USA TODAY
California point guard Brandon Jennings seized control of the top spot in the Class of 2008, beating out previous No. 1 Greg Monroe and others in the final rankings. Jennings was fantastic as a senior at Oak Hill Academy, building on what was an excellent summer of 2007 and a terrific overall career portfolio.
But Jennings wasn't an easy choice. A fall signee for Arizona, the slender guard is among one of several candidates who made a legitimate push for the top position in the class. While these rankings are based on college potential, it's likely that others — such as USC-bound wing Demar DeRozan, No. 2 among seniors — rank as better NBA prospects.
Yet another Californian, combo guard Jrue Holiday, gives the Golden State a clean sweep of the top three positions. Some scouts on the West Coast regard Holiday as the No. 1 player in the state, in this case equaling the top overall prospect in the senior class, and his superlative senior year certainly gives that argument credence.
Many fans, upon viewing a set of final rankings, ask to what extent the postseason all-star games factor into the picture. Events such as the McDonald's All-American Game offer many their first look at the nation's elite seniors, comprising the bulk of those fans' opinions about individual prospects.
Player Ht. Position High school College choice
1. Brandon Jennings 6-1 PG Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) ARIZONA
2. Demar DeRozan 6-6 WF Compton (Calif.) SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
3. Jrue Holiday 6-4 SG/PG Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, Calif.) UCLA
4. Tyreke Evans 6-5 SG American Christian (Aston, Pa.) MEMPHIS
5. B.J. Mullens 7-0 C Canal Winchester (Ohio) OHIO STATE
6. Samardo Samuels 6-9 C St. Benedict's (Newark, N.J.) LOUISVILLE
7. Al-Farouq Aminu 6-8 WF/PF Norcross (Ga.) WAKE FOREST
8. Greg Monroe 6-10 PF Helen Cox (Harvey, La.) GEORGETOWN
9. Chris Singleton 6-8 PF/WF Dunwoody (Ga.) FLORIDA STATE
10. Devin Ebanks 6-8 WF St. Thomas More (Oakdale, Conn.)
11. Scotty Hopson 6-6 SG University Heights (Hopkinsville, Ky.) TENNESSEE
12. John Riek 7-2 C Winchendon (Mass.) NBA
13. Ed Davis 6-8 PF Benedictine (Richmond, Va.) NORTH CAROLINA
14. Delvon Roe 6-8 PF/WF St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) MICHIGAN STATE
15. William Buford 6-4 SG Libbey (Toledo, Ohio) OHIO STATE
16. Malcolm Lee 6-4 PG/SG Riverside North (Calif.) UCLA
17. Kemba Walker 6-0 PG Rice (New York) CONNECTICUT
18. Jerime Anderson 6-1 PG Canyon (Anaheim, Calif.) UCLA
19. Luke Babbitt 6-7 PF/WF Galena (Reno, Nev.) NEVADA
20. Jeff Withey 6-11 C Horizon (San Diego) ARIZONA
21. Elliot Williams 6-4 SG St. George's (Collierville, Tenn.) DUKE
22. Darius Miller 6-6 WF Mason County (Maysville, Ky.) KENTUCKY
23. J'Mison Morgan 6-10 C South Oak Cliff (Dallas)
24. Ty Walker 7-0 C New Hanover (Wilmington, N.C.) WAKE FOREST
25. DeQuan Jones 6-6 WF Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) MIAMI
26. Willie Warren 6-2 SG North Crowley (Fort Worth, Texas) OKLAHOMA
27. Kenny Kadji 6-10 C IMG (Bradenton, Fla.) FLORIDA
28. Tyler Zeller 6-11 C Washington (Ind.) NORTH CAROLINA
29. JaMychal Green 6-7 PF St. Jude (Montgomery, Ala.) ALABAMA
30. Iman Shumpert 6-3 SG/PG River Forest (Oak Park, Ill.) GEORGIA TECH
31. Trey Thompkins 6-9 PF Wesleyan (Norcross, Ga.) GEORGIA
32. DeAndre Liggins 6-5 SG Findlay (Henderson, Nev.) KENTUCKY
33. Markieff Morris 6-9 PF/C Apex (Pennsauken, N.J.) KANSAS
34. Rashanti Harris 6-8 C New Hope (Columbus, Miss.)
35. Drew Gordon 6-9 C/PF Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) UCLA
36. Wesley Witherspoon 6-7 WF Berkmar (Lilburn, Ga.) MEMPHIS
37. Eloy Vargas 6-9 PF American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) FLORIDA
38. Marcus Morris 6-9 PF Apex (Pennsauken, N.J.) KANSAS
39. Tony Mitchell 6-6 WF Swainsboro (Ga.) ALABAMA
40. Travis Releford 6-5 SG/WF Bishop Miege (Roeland Park, Kan.) KANSAS
41. Terrence Jennings 6-9 C Notre Dame (Fitchburg, Mass.) LOUISVILLE
42. Romero Osby 6-7 PF/WF Northeast Lauderdale (Meridian, Miss.) MISSISSIPPI STATE
43. Mike Rosario 6-2 SG/PG St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) RUTGERS
44. Mike Dunigan 6-9 C Farragut (Chicago) OREGON
45. Larry Drew 5-11 PG Taft (Woodland Hills, Calif.) NORTH CAROLINA
46. Sylven Landesberg 6-6 SG/WF Holy Cross (Flushing, N.Y.) VIRGINIA
47. Yancy Gates 6-9 C Withrow (Cincinnati) CINCINNATI
48. Scott Suggs 6-6 SG Washington (Mo.) WASHINGTON
49. Catalin Baciu 7-0 C Veritas Christian (Fletcher, N.C.) CLEMSON
50. Anthony Jones 6-9 WF Yates (Houston) BAYLOR
51. Elston Turner 6-4 SG Elkins (Missouri City, Texas) WASHINGTON
52. D.J. Seeley 6-4 SG/PG Modesto Christian (Calif.) CALIFORNIA
53. Tony Woods 6-10 C Rome (Ga.) WAKE FOREST
54. Ralph Sampson III 6-10 C Northview (Duluth, Ga.) MINNESOTA
55. Delwan Graham 6-7 PF/WF Dunwoody (Ga.) LOUISIANA STATE
56. Emmanuel Negedu 6-6 PF Brewster (Wolfeboro, N.H.) ARIZONA
57. Matt Simpkins 6-8 PF Patterson (Lenoir, N.C.) MEMPHIS
58. Sean Mosley 6-4 SG St. Frances (Baltimore) MARYLAND
59. Kenny Frease 6-11 C Perry (Massillon, Ohio) XAVIER
60. Mookie Jones 6-6 WF Peekskill (N.Y.) SYRACUSE
61. David Gibbs 6-3 PG Masters (West Simsbury, Conn.) MASSACHUSETTS
62. Tyshawn Taylor 6-3 PG/SG St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) KANSAS
63. Storm Warren 6-7 PF Richwood (Monroe, La.) LOUISIANA STATE
64. Kris Joseph 6-6 WF Archbishop Carroll (Washington) SYRACUSE
65. Olek Czyz 6-7 PF/WF Reno (Nev.) DUKE
66. Ray Shipman 6-5 SG/WF Pace (Opa Locka, Fla.) FLORIDA
67. Terrelle Pryor 6-6 PF/WF Jeannette (Pa.) OHIO STATE (FB)
68. Courtney Fortson 5-10 PG Patterson (Lenoir, N.C.) ARKANSAS
69. Jarrett Mann 6-4 SG Middletown (Del.) STANFORD
70. Angel Garcia 6-10 PF East Chicago Central (Ind.) MEMPHIS
71. Kevin Jones 6-7 PF Mount Vernon (N.Y.) WEST VIRGINIA
72. Andre Clark 6-9 PF Genesis One (Mendenhall, Miss.) OKLAHOMA
73. Isaiah Thomas 5-9 PG/SG South Kent (Conn.) WASHINGTON
74. Deividas Dulkys 6-3 SG Findlay (Henderson, Nev.) FLORIDA STATE
75. Michael Harthun 6-2 SG/PG Medford South (Ore.) WASHINGTON STATE
76. Xavier Gibson 6-9 PF Northview (Duluth, Ala.) FLORIDA STATE
77. Renaldo Woolridge 6-7 WF Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) TENNESSEE
78. Devoe Joseph 6-3 SG Pickering (Ajax, Canada) MINNESOTA
79. Quintrell Thomas 6-7 PF St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) KANSAS
80. Luke Loucks 6-4 PG/SG Clearwater (Fla.) FLORIDA STATE
81. Kwamain Mitchell 6-1 PG/SG Dominican (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) SAINT LOUIS
82. Jared Berggren 6-10 C Princeton (Minn.) WISCONSIN
83. Anthony Crater 6-1 PG Hargrave Military (Chatham, Va.) OHIO STATE
84. Nasir Robinson 6-5 WF/PF Chester (Pa.) PITTSBURGH
85. Victor Davila 6-8 PF Starmount (Boonville, N.C.) VIRGINIA TECH
86. Ashton Gibbs 6-1 SG/PG Seton Hall (West Orange, N.J.) PITTSBURGH
87. Robert Wilson 6-2 SG Garfield Heights (Ohio) WISCONSIN
88. Henry Sims 6-10 C Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) GEORGETOWN
89. Eshaunte Jones 6-3 SG/PG Hargrave Military (Chatham, Va.) OREGON STATE
90. Dee Bost 6-2 PG Hargrave Military (Chatham, Va.) MISSISSIPPI STATE
91. Drew Wiley 6-6 WF Thurston (Springfield, Ore.) OREGON
92. J'Covan Brown 6-2 SG Memorial (Port Arthur, Texas) TEXAS
93. Jared Swopshire 6-7 WF IMG (Bradenton, Fla.) LOUISVILLE
94. Allan Chaney 6-8 PF New London (Conn.) FLORIDA
95. Brad Tinsley 6-4 SG Oregon City (Ore.) VANDERBILT
96. Andrew Steele 6-3 SG Carroll (Birmingham, Ala.) ALABAMA
97. Kim English 6-5 WF Notre Dame (Fitchburg, Mass.) MISSOURI
98. Terrance Henry 6-8 PF Carroll (Monroe, La.) MISSISSIPPI
99. Chris Braswell 6-9 PF/C Dematha (Hyattsville, Md.) GEORGETOWN
100. Jason Clark 6-2 SG Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.) GEORGETOWN
Pastner joins staff at U of M
Pastner joins staff at U of M
Basketball recruiter hits ground running
By Dan Wolken
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Much to the surprise of some friends he's spoken with since accepting the job as assistant coach at the University of Memphis, Josh Pastner would rather do his running in the humidity of the Mid-South than the Arizona desert's dry heat.
"I love it," he said. "You get a better sweat."
And as Pastner proved in his 12 years as a player and assistant at Arizona, he's not afraid to perspire. Regarded as one of the most relentless networkers and recruiters in college basketball, the 30-year old Pastner said Monday he was ready to tackle the newest challenge in his young coaching career.
"I love Tucson; I love Arizona. It's my alma mater," Pastner said. "But I'm going to love Memphis and Tiger basketball. I'm excited. I'm geared up like you wouldn't believe. I'm ready to put my passion and energy right into Memphis."
Though Pastner agreed in principle last week to join coach John Calipari's staff, his hiring was not formally announced until Monday. Pastner was in town Friday to complete the paperwork and was back in Tucson on Monday to begin the transition.
"Obviously I've got to talk to coach Calipari and coach (John) Robic," Pastner said. "There are still some formalities of getting stuff through the president's office and the Board of Regents. But I'm ready to hit the ground running."
Pastner will essentially assume the role of Derek Kellogg, who left last month to become head coach at UMass. Kellogg was the Tigers' ace recruiter, almost omnipresent on the national scene.
Pastner, whose father Hal Pastner runs youth basketball programs in Houston, brings many of the same attributes. In addition to his Texas connections, Pastner was heavily involved in recruiting elite West Coast players like Chase Budinger and Jerryd Bayless to Arizona.
He said Arizona and Memphis are similar in terms of the types of players he'll be expected to recruit.
"They're elite, high-level players that are good kids who are good enough to play in the NBA one day," Pastner said. "There's not much change. You're recruiting the same type of kid: elite-level talent, high character kids that want to win national championships and be good in the community."
Despite the recent tumult involving head coach Lute Olson, who took a leave of absence last season, Pastner said he wasn't actively looking to leave Arizona. He had turned down opportunities within the past year to join the Kentucky and Marquette coaching staffs.
But when he got a call from Calipari to gauge his interest in the job at Memphis, the opportunity to work under and learn from another elite coach immediately intrigued him.
"I'm just the type of guy, nose to the grindstone, getting after it," Pastner said. "You get so focused on your work, you don't even think about other opportunities. When he called, I got that little butterfly feeling and was like, this is pretty darn cool. I had a good feeling right away. (Calipari) makes you feel so comfortable; you're ready to go through a wall for him. That's why he's had the success wherever he's been."
Though Pastner had been a constant face and voice at Arizona since joining the program as a walk-on, he said his departure has been received positively.
"I've got so many great friends, and coach Olson and our (athletic director Jim Livengood) have been so supportive of me," Pastner said. "They didn't want me to go, but they wanted what was best for me and they gave me their blessing."
Reach Dan Wolken at 529-2365; read his blogs on the Tigers at thememphisedge.com.
Basketball recruiter hits ground running
By Dan Wolken
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Much to the surprise of some friends he's spoken with since accepting the job as assistant coach at the University of Memphis, Josh Pastner would rather do his running in the humidity of the Mid-South than the Arizona desert's dry heat.
"I love it," he said. "You get a better sweat."
And as Pastner proved in his 12 years as a player and assistant at Arizona, he's not afraid to perspire. Regarded as one of the most relentless networkers and recruiters in college basketball, the 30-year old Pastner said Monday he was ready to tackle the newest challenge in his young coaching career.
"I love Tucson; I love Arizona. It's my alma mater," Pastner said. "But I'm going to love Memphis and Tiger basketball. I'm excited. I'm geared up like you wouldn't believe. I'm ready to put my passion and energy right into Memphis."
Though Pastner agreed in principle last week to join coach John Calipari's staff, his hiring was not formally announced until Monday. Pastner was in town Friday to complete the paperwork and was back in Tucson on Monday to begin the transition.
"Obviously I've got to talk to coach Calipari and coach (John) Robic," Pastner said. "There are still some formalities of getting stuff through the president's office and the Board of Regents. But I'm ready to hit the ground running."
Pastner will essentially assume the role of Derek Kellogg, who left last month to become head coach at UMass. Kellogg was the Tigers' ace recruiter, almost omnipresent on the national scene.
Pastner, whose father Hal Pastner runs youth basketball programs in Houston, brings many of the same attributes. In addition to his Texas connections, Pastner was heavily involved in recruiting elite West Coast players like Chase Budinger and Jerryd Bayless to Arizona.
He said Arizona and Memphis are similar in terms of the types of players he'll be expected to recruit.
"They're elite, high-level players that are good kids who are good enough to play in the NBA one day," Pastner said. "There's not much change. You're recruiting the same type of kid: elite-level talent, high character kids that want to win national championships and be good in the community."
Despite the recent tumult involving head coach Lute Olson, who took a leave of absence last season, Pastner said he wasn't actively looking to leave Arizona. He had turned down opportunities within the past year to join the Kentucky and Marquette coaching staffs.
But when he got a call from Calipari to gauge his interest in the job at Memphis, the opportunity to work under and learn from another elite coach immediately intrigued him.
"I'm just the type of guy, nose to the grindstone, getting after it," Pastner said. "You get so focused on your work, you don't even think about other opportunities. When he called, I got that little butterfly feeling and was like, this is pretty darn cool. I had a good feeling right away. (Calipari) makes you feel so comfortable; you're ready to go through a wall for him. That's why he's had the success wherever he's been."
Though Pastner had been a constant face and voice at Arizona since joining the program as a walk-on, he said his departure has been received positively.
"I've got so many great friends, and coach Olson and our (athletic director Jim Livengood) have been so supportive of me," Pastner said. "They didn't want me to go, but they wanted what was best for me and they gave me their blessing."
Reach Dan Wolken at 529-2365; read his blogs on the Tigers at thememphisedge.com.
Good Info on C-USA Meetings, League Scheduling and State of Tennessee Recruiting
Hoops holiday
Conference USA spring meetings get under way this week in Destin, Fla., but there probably won't be any major men's basketball items on the agenda, especially with the 2009 C-USA Tournament off the table (it was awarded to Memphis in March).
"We've made improvements in every area over a three-year period," assistant commissioner Chris Woolard said. "Our conference RPI and non-conference winning percentage has gotten better every year. We went from one team to five in postseason. Eight teams made improvements in the RPI. There are a lot of trends that are headed the right way with what we're doing right now. ... I don't see a lot of big issues."
Scheduling is always a big topic when the league's coaches get together, and there will undoubtedly be a push from some of the lower-tier teams to increase the league slate from 16 games to 18 or perhaps even 22 to make it a full round robin. That idea is highly unlikely to get much traction.
The bigger focus will likely be on non-conference scheduling, where it's difficult for postseason contenders like UAB and Tulsa to get home games against top-level competition. UAB coach Mike Davis said last season he was going to push for the league to engage another conference for a multi-team challenge, though it's unlikely Memphis would participate because of its ability to schedule marquee games.
"Guys have to keep experimenting with their non-conference schedules," Calipari said. "It's the most important thing; more important than whether we play on a Thursday and Saturday or Wednesday and Saturday, whether we have travel partners, whether we play 22 games. Everything we've done the last three years, we've gotten better as a league."
There could also be some discussion about switching up the teams that play each other twice during the league schedule as opposed to just once. (Translation: A few teams would rather not play Memphis twice.) But Calipari will likely push to keep Houston, Tulsa, UAB and Southern Miss as mirror opponents since they project to be postseason-quality teams next season.
Etc.
Here's yet another measure of the strength of the college basketball programs in Tennessee. Out of the top 100 players in the Rivals.com rankings for the 2008 recruiting class, at least 11 will be playing college basketball in the state. Memphis and Vanderbilt have each signed four, while Tennessee has signed three. That number could increase if the Tigers get a commitment from No. 11 Devin Ebanks, who is finishing up his official visit today. Florida is the only other state that's close with nine players signed among its three power programs; North Carolina and California have seven each.
Reach Dan Wolken at 529-2365; read his blogs on the Tigers at thememphisedge.com.
Cal's Tigers quietly make the grade
Cal's Tigers quietly make the grade
By Dan Wolken
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Without much hand-wringing, at least around here, the NCAA released its Academic Progress Ratings last week, which for the first time in its four-year evaluation period tied poor graduation rates to a loss of scholarships.
But in many ways, the lack of fanfare about on graduation rates with the University of Memphis basketball program is a story in and of itself. As coach John Calipari likes to say, he inherited a program eight years ago with a zero-graduation rate, an academic mess without the kind of infrastructure and attention necessary to succeed.
In the 1990s, that kind of travesty made schools like Memphis, Cincinnati and Arkansas the subject of ridicule, but it didn't carry many real-world consequences.
Though Calipari didn't necessarily need a good APR rating to validate how much he's turned around the academic situation here -- the halls of Memphis' basketball office are lined with pictures of the 14 players who have graduated under Calipari -- there had to be some measure of satisfaction when Memphis' score of 928 beat the 925 (which roughly equates to 60 percent graduation) necessary to avoid potential penalties.
Just a month ago, Calipari chafed at the Final Four when several reporters tried to compare Memphis to Jerry Tarkanian-era UNLV. And yet, there was Memphis on the right side of the APR list Monday while better-funded, better-recognized institutions like Seton Hall, Southern California and even Tennessee lost scholarships.
"The APR is based on having students that can do the work, having the university invest in academic support and treating the players with that in mind -- how you travel, how you schedule so that they're not missing tons of school -- and then having the program demand that they take care of business and do what they're supposed to do," Calipari said.
"It doesn't mean they never fail a class or miss a class. It doesn't mean they don't ever get near that line; it means they understand what's expected of them. If there are screw-ups, they're rectified. The other way, you don't make it and you lose scholarships and blame the coach before you."
The APR is far from a perfect tool to gauge how faithfully schools are adhering to the "student" part of student-athlete. And nobody's trying to pretend that a Memphis basketball player with a diploma has been through as rigorous an academic program as a basketball player at Stanford.
But the APR has successfully set up a system that encourages colleges to: 1) Recruit players who are capable of graduating from that institution; and 2) Provide the infrastructure to help those players get their diplomas.
Each school will have to make determinations about how to fulfill those two goals. Memphis will do it a different way than Stanford does. And Memphis will have to continue finding ways to account for players who leave early for the NBA, especially given how vigorously Calipari encourages his underclassmen to enter the draft if they are going to be first-round picks.
If Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts, for instance, are not in good academic standing when they leave, Memphis will lose points and flirt with falling under 925. And it's awfully hard for a basketball coach to convince players who are months away from making millions of dollars to worry about final exams just for the sake of the APR.
But Calipari said he's prepared to deal with that aspect of the APR -- for the record, he thinks Rose and Douglas-Roberts will be fine -- and doesn't mind the way it's structured.
"We're going to have guys going to the NBA, so we're always going to be close. That can be accepted," Calipari said. "The other of running guys off, coming up with excuses, doing all that and then blaming it on the other coach, that's not going to go. That's why they put these things in."
Reach Dan Wolken at 529-2365; read his blogs on the Tigers at thememphisedge.com.
By Dan Wolken
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Without much hand-wringing, at least around here, the NCAA released its Academic Progress Ratings last week, which for the first time in its four-year evaluation period tied poor graduation rates to a loss of scholarships.
But in many ways, the lack of fanfare about on graduation rates with the University of Memphis basketball program is a story in and of itself. As coach John Calipari likes to say, he inherited a program eight years ago with a zero-graduation rate, an academic mess without the kind of infrastructure and attention necessary to succeed.
In the 1990s, that kind of travesty made schools like Memphis, Cincinnati and Arkansas the subject of ridicule, but it didn't carry many real-world consequences.
Though Calipari didn't necessarily need a good APR rating to validate how much he's turned around the academic situation here -- the halls of Memphis' basketball office are lined with pictures of the 14 players who have graduated under Calipari -- there had to be some measure of satisfaction when Memphis' score of 928 beat the 925 (which roughly equates to 60 percent graduation) necessary to avoid potential penalties.
Just a month ago, Calipari chafed at the Final Four when several reporters tried to compare Memphis to Jerry Tarkanian-era UNLV. And yet, there was Memphis on the right side of the APR list Monday while better-funded, better-recognized institutions like Seton Hall, Southern California and even Tennessee lost scholarships.
"The APR is based on having students that can do the work, having the university invest in academic support and treating the players with that in mind -- how you travel, how you schedule so that they're not missing tons of school -- and then having the program demand that they take care of business and do what they're supposed to do," Calipari said.
"It doesn't mean they never fail a class or miss a class. It doesn't mean they don't ever get near that line; it means they understand what's expected of them. If there are screw-ups, they're rectified. The other way, you don't make it and you lose scholarships and blame the coach before you."
The APR is far from a perfect tool to gauge how faithfully schools are adhering to the "student" part of student-athlete. And nobody's trying to pretend that a Memphis basketball player with a diploma has been through as rigorous an academic program as a basketball player at Stanford.
But the APR has successfully set up a system that encourages colleges to: 1) Recruit players who are capable of graduating from that institution; and 2) Provide the infrastructure to help those players get their diplomas.
Each school will have to make determinations about how to fulfill those two goals. Memphis will do it a different way than Stanford does. And Memphis will have to continue finding ways to account for players who leave early for the NBA, especially given how vigorously Calipari encourages his underclassmen to enter the draft if they are going to be first-round picks.
If Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts, for instance, are not in good academic standing when they leave, Memphis will lose points and flirt with falling under 925. And it's awfully hard for a basketball coach to convince players who are months away from making millions of dollars to worry about final exams just for the sake of the APR.
But Calipari said he's prepared to deal with that aspect of the APR -- for the record, he thinks Rose and Douglas-Roberts will be fine -- and doesn't mind the way it's structured.
"We're going to have guys going to the NBA, so we're always going to be close. That can be accepted," Calipari said. "The other of running guys off, coming up with excuses, doing all that and then blaming it on the other coach, that's not going to go. That's why they put these things in."
Reach Dan Wolken at 529-2365; read his blogs on the Tigers at thememphisedge.com.
Forward looking: Ebanks makes U of M last stop on his tour of colleges
Forward looking: Ebanks makes U of M last stop on his tour of colleges
By Dan Wolken
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Devin Ebanks thought he found his college basketball fit once already when he signed with Indiana University last year. But when those plans were thrown out of whack following an unexpected coaching change, the 6-8 forward from New York was given a second crack at the recruiting process.
This weekend, the University of Memphis gets the last word in that process, trying to convince Ebanks to join its already stellar 2008 recruiting class.
"I just want to see what their plan is for me, how I fit in the school academically, socially, everything," Ebanks told a group of reporters Friday afternoon at Memphis International Airport after arriving for his official visit.
Whether Ebanks likes the fit at Memphis remains to be seen. But the Tigers certainly like the prospect of his fitting into their 2008-09 lineup.
With practically the entire top 100 off the board, Ebanks is far and away the highest-ranked player who has not selected a college. Rivals.com ranks him No. 11 overall, while Scout.com pegs Ebanks as the 13th-best player in the country.
That has obviously driven a lot of interest for a commitment from Ebanks, who quickly narrowed his choices to West Virginia, Rutgers, Texas and Memphis after Indiana released him from his letter-of-intent.
West Virginia is believed to be the Tigers' primary competition, but Memphis might have a slight advantage by hosting Ebanks' last official visit.
Ebanks went to West Virginia on April 5, Texas on April 26 and Rutgers last weekend.
He said he'll likely announce his decision on May 18, a day after his graduation from St. Thomas More School in Oakdale, Conn.
"I haven't decided who's No. 1, No. 2," Ebanks said. "We'll have to figure that out in the weeks to come."
Meet Devin Ebanks
Size: 6-8, 185 pounds
Position: Forward
Hometown: Long Island, N.Y.
Class of 2008 rankings: Rivals.com -- No. 2 small forward, No. 11 overall; Scout.com -- No. 4 small forward, No. 13 overall
Considering: Memphis, Texas, Rutgers, West Virginia
Memphis certainly has been on a roll of late, getting commitments from point-forward Wesley Witherspoon (ranked No. 34 by Rivals) and shooting guard Tyreke Evans (ranked No. 6) in the month since its season ended with a loss to Kansas in the national championship game.
The recruiting class also includes a couple of elite frontcourt players in Angel Garcia (No. 47) and Matt Simpkins (No. 80).
Adding Ebanks, however, would certainly give Memphis a legitimate claim to the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, along with UCLA. It would also boost the Tigers' prospects of competing for a national championship next season, regardless of whether forward Robert Dozier and guard Antonio Anderson return for their senior seasons or remain in the NBA draft.
"We'd be unstoppable, like the Lakers," Ebanks said.
Though the Tigers' ceiling might not be quite that high, the Memphis coaching staff envisions Ebanks as a big-time scorer on a team that will need at least one or two to emerge. The Tigers won't return anybody who averaged more than 10 points last season.
Ebanks, who is more of a big wing rather than an inside presence, sounded Friday as though he was looking for some assurances from coach John Calipari about what his role would be at Memphis.
"I want to win. I just want a place where I can win and be able to contribute right away," Ebanks said. "I want to see what Coach Cal has for me, see his plan, see his vision. My mother will have a lot of questions, so we'll definitely see if Memphis is the right spot for me."
Reach Dan Wolken at 529-2365; read his blogs on the Tigers at thememphisedge.com.
By Dan Wolken
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Devin Ebanks thought he found his college basketball fit once already when he signed with Indiana University last year. But when those plans were thrown out of whack following an unexpected coaching change, the 6-8 forward from New York was given a second crack at the recruiting process.
This weekend, the University of Memphis gets the last word in that process, trying to convince Ebanks to join its already stellar 2008 recruiting class.
"I just want to see what their plan is for me, how I fit in the school academically, socially, everything," Ebanks told a group of reporters Friday afternoon at Memphis International Airport after arriving for his official visit.
Whether Ebanks likes the fit at Memphis remains to be seen. But the Tigers certainly like the prospect of his fitting into their 2008-09 lineup.
With practically the entire top 100 off the board, Ebanks is far and away the highest-ranked player who has not selected a college. Rivals.com ranks him No. 11 overall, while Scout.com pegs Ebanks as the 13th-best player in the country.
That has obviously driven a lot of interest for a commitment from Ebanks, who quickly narrowed his choices to West Virginia, Rutgers, Texas and Memphis after Indiana released him from his letter-of-intent.
West Virginia is believed to be the Tigers' primary competition, but Memphis might have a slight advantage by hosting Ebanks' last official visit.
Ebanks went to West Virginia on April 5, Texas on April 26 and Rutgers last weekend.
He said he'll likely announce his decision on May 18, a day after his graduation from St. Thomas More School in Oakdale, Conn.
"I haven't decided who's No. 1, No. 2," Ebanks said. "We'll have to figure that out in the weeks to come."
Meet Devin Ebanks
Size: 6-8, 185 pounds
Position: Forward
Hometown: Long Island, N.Y.
Class of 2008 rankings: Rivals.com -- No. 2 small forward, No. 11 overall; Scout.com -- No. 4 small forward, No. 13 overall
Considering: Memphis, Texas, Rutgers, West Virginia
Memphis certainly has been on a roll of late, getting commitments from point-forward Wesley Witherspoon (ranked No. 34 by Rivals) and shooting guard Tyreke Evans (ranked No. 6) in the month since its season ended with a loss to Kansas in the national championship game.
The recruiting class also includes a couple of elite frontcourt players in Angel Garcia (No. 47) and Matt Simpkins (No. 80).
Adding Ebanks, however, would certainly give Memphis a legitimate claim to the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, along with UCLA. It would also boost the Tigers' prospects of competing for a national championship next season, regardless of whether forward Robert Dozier and guard Antonio Anderson return for their senior seasons or remain in the NBA draft.
"We'd be unstoppable, like the Lakers," Ebanks said.
Though the Tigers' ceiling might not be quite that high, the Memphis coaching staff envisions Ebanks as a big-time scorer on a team that will need at least one or two to emerge. The Tigers won't return anybody who averaged more than 10 points last season.
Ebanks, who is more of a big wing rather than an inside presence, sounded Friday as though he was looking for some assurances from coach John Calipari about what his role would be at Memphis.
"I want to win. I just want a place where I can win and be able to contribute right away," Ebanks said. "I want to see what Coach Cal has for me, see his plan, see his vision. My mother will have a lot of questions, so we'll definitely see if Memphis is the right spot for me."
Reach Dan Wolken at 529-2365; read his blogs on the Tigers at thememphisedge.com.
Tucson Citizen - Pastner Is Making Right Move
Gimino: Pastner is making right move
He'll do what's best for his career if he goes to Memphis
ANTHONY GIMINO, Tucson Citizen
The program probably needs him more than ever, but if Arizona basketball assistant coach Josh Pastner is walking out the door for Memphis, there's only one thing to say.
Good for you, Josh.
The timing isn't great because the Wildcats, in the midst of an extreme coaching makeover, need Pastner's stability more than ever. But he doesn't owe the university, the program, the players, the recruits or coach Lute Olson any more than he has already given.
As a walk-on guard, video and recruiting coordinator, administrative assistant, assistant coach and lead recruiter, he always gave more than the demanding job demanded.
It was never surprising to see him - anywhere, anytime - with a cell phone attached to his ear, talking to a player, a recruit, a coach, whoever. Working. Always working.
Maybe the only surprising thing about seeing Pastner on a cell phone would be if he wasn't text messaging on another phone at the same time.
He once told me, "If I was about to get married and my bride and I were walking down the aisle, I guarantee you my phone would be on my clip. And not turned off, either. I'd give the moment some respect and put it on vibrate, but I wouldn't turn it off."
He was kidding.
We think.
Point is, no one could be more devoted to Arizona basketball than Pastner, who arrived in 1996, bleeding red and blue and ready to learn from the first day. Nobody in Tucson has slept less in the past 12 years.
He, quite famously now, earned an undergraduate degree in 2 1/2 years.
He's given his all to the UA's coaching job. Now, he needs to do something for his coaching career.
Becoming a head coach is the twinkle in his eye, and he can best get there by skedaddling out of Tucson and adding new experiences and challenges to his Olson-infused resume.
Being at national-championship-contending Memphis under John Calipari will do the trick.
We've become so used to Pastner, on the sideline, as a local pitchman and through charitable ventures, that it's easy to forget he's only 30. He's accomplished plenty with a lot left to learn.
He will be a head coach someday. No doubt. Maybe the road eventually will lead him back here. It works that way sometimes. But first he needs to hit the road. Go, Josh, go.
Some of Arizona's most highly rated recruits have signed under Pastner's direction, although Olson has, of course, retained the final say.
That's not to say all of the recruits were hits, or that there was enough depth in those classes to cover for the predictable early entries to the NBA, but Pastner, even at his tender age, became a recruiting force that Arizona will be hard-pressed to immediately emulate at a critical time.
Jeff Goodman at Foxsports.com recently polled coaches for their take on "guys that instill a level of fear into their colleagues when they stroll into a gym." Pastner was No. 7 on that list of elite assistants at high-major programs.
Perhaps he would have been inclined to stay if he had been elevated this offseason to be Olson's top assistant.
Olson has brought in two veteran coaches with varied experience - Russ Pennell (officially) and Mike Dunlap (unofficially) - to sit on the bench with him.
Can't argue with either's pedigree.
But it's not really about whether Pastner would have been/should have been No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3. In any case, he needed to expand beyond Arizona and probably should have done it years ago.
There's no questioning his loyalty. Pastner could have gone to Kentucky as an assistant to Billy Gillispie last season. He could have gone to other places, at other times.
Loyalty. If anything, the Arizona basketball events of the past 12 months have reinforced that this is a business - an often cold business where loyalty gets drop-kicked out the back door.
Maybe that's good, maybe that's bad. It's often just the way it is.
Long-time Olson assistant Jim Rosborough? Ousted.
Would-be successor Kevin O'Neill, who came in with the support of exalted alums Steve Kerr, Sean Elliott and others? Never made it to his promised second year as an assistant.
Assistant coach Miles Simon, hero of the 1997 national championship team? Contract not renewed.
And now Pastner is packing up, too. It's all over except for the official announcement.
He knows: Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
And Pastner is doing the right thing.
Good luck, Josh.
PASTNER TIMELINE
1996: Arrives at UA as a walk-on guard from Kingwood, Texas
1997: Part of UA's NCAA championship team.
1998: Receives bachelor's degree in family studies after only 2.5 years.
1999: Coaches AAU Houston Hoops to Nike tournament title; finished master's in teacher education.
2000: Is named Academic All-Pac-10 second team, ends UA playing career averaging 0.9 points a game in 42 games; leads Houston Hoops to Global World title in summer.
2000-01: Lute Olson names him UA graduate assistant coach.
2001-02: Is appointed UA's video and recruiting coordinator.
April 2002: Is named UA assistant
2005: Rivals.com calls him one of nation's top 25 recruiters.
2007: Turns down Kentucky assistant's job.
2008: Memphis offers him an assistant's job; decision expected next week.
He'll do what's best for his career if he goes to Memphis
ANTHONY GIMINO, Tucson Citizen
The program probably needs him more than ever, but if Arizona basketball assistant coach Josh Pastner is walking out the door for Memphis, there's only one thing to say.
Good for you, Josh.
The timing isn't great because the Wildcats, in the midst of an extreme coaching makeover, need Pastner's stability more than ever. But he doesn't owe the university, the program, the players, the recruits or coach Lute Olson any more than he has already given.
As a walk-on guard, video and recruiting coordinator, administrative assistant, assistant coach and lead recruiter, he always gave more than the demanding job demanded.
It was never surprising to see him - anywhere, anytime - with a cell phone attached to his ear, talking to a player, a recruit, a coach, whoever. Working. Always working.
Maybe the only surprising thing about seeing Pastner on a cell phone would be if he wasn't text messaging on another phone at the same time.
He once told me, "If I was about to get married and my bride and I were walking down the aisle, I guarantee you my phone would be on my clip. And not turned off, either. I'd give the moment some respect and put it on vibrate, but I wouldn't turn it off."
He was kidding.
We think.
Point is, no one could be more devoted to Arizona basketball than Pastner, who arrived in 1996, bleeding red and blue and ready to learn from the first day. Nobody in Tucson has slept less in the past 12 years.
He, quite famously now, earned an undergraduate degree in 2 1/2 years.
He's given his all to the UA's coaching job. Now, he needs to do something for his coaching career.
Becoming a head coach is the twinkle in his eye, and he can best get there by skedaddling out of Tucson and adding new experiences and challenges to his Olson-infused resume.
Being at national-championship-contending Memphis under John Calipari will do the trick.
We've become so used to Pastner, on the sideline, as a local pitchman and through charitable ventures, that it's easy to forget he's only 30. He's accomplished plenty with a lot left to learn.
He will be a head coach someday. No doubt. Maybe the road eventually will lead him back here. It works that way sometimes. But first he needs to hit the road. Go, Josh, go.
Some of Arizona's most highly rated recruits have signed under Pastner's direction, although Olson has, of course, retained the final say.
That's not to say all of the recruits were hits, or that there was enough depth in those classes to cover for the predictable early entries to the NBA, but Pastner, even at his tender age, became a recruiting force that Arizona will be hard-pressed to immediately emulate at a critical time.
Jeff Goodman at Foxsports.com recently polled coaches for their take on "guys that instill a level of fear into their colleagues when they stroll into a gym." Pastner was No. 7 on that list of elite assistants at high-major programs.
Perhaps he would have been inclined to stay if he had been elevated this offseason to be Olson's top assistant.
Olson has brought in two veteran coaches with varied experience - Russ Pennell (officially) and Mike Dunlap (unofficially) - to sit on the bench with him.
Can't argue with either's pedigree.
But it's not really about whether Pastner would have been/should have been No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3. In any case, he needed to expand beyond Arizona and probably should have done it years ago.
There's no questioning his loyalty. Pastner could have gone to Kentucky as an assistant to Billy Gillispie last season. He could have gone to other places, at other times.
Loyalty. If anything, the Arizona basketball events of the past 12 months have reinforced that this is a business - an often cold business where loyalty gets drop-kicked out the back door.
Maybe that's good, maybe that's bad. It's often just the way it is.
Long-time Olson assistant Jim Rosborough? Ousted.
Would-be successor Kevin O'Neill, who came in with the support of exalted alums Steve Kerr, Sean Elliott and others? Never made it to his promised second year as an assistant.
Assistant coach Miles Simon, hero of the 1997 national championship team? Contract not renewed.
And now Pastner is packing up, too. It's all over except for the official announcement.
He knows: Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
And Pastner is doing the right thing.
Good luck, Josh.
PASTNER TIMELINE
1996: Arrives at UA as a walk-on guard from Kingwood, Texas
1997: Part of UA's NCAA championship team.
1998: Receives bachelor's degree in family studies after only 2.5 years.
1999: Coaches AAU Houston Hoops to Nike tournament title; finished master's in teacher education.
2000: Is named Academic All-Pac-10 second team, ends UA playing career averaging 0.9 points a game in 42 games; leads Houston Hoops to Global World title in summer.
2000-01: Lute Olson names him UA graduate assistant coach.
2001-02: Is appointed UA's video and recruiting coordinator.
April 2002: Is named UA assistant
2005: Rivals.com calls him one of nation's top 25 recruiters.
2007: Turns down Kentucky assistant's job.
2008: Memphis offers him an assistant's job; decision expected next week.
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